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College Basketball Roundup: Tue, Nov. 12

Wooden Award watch list named: For the first time, the John R. Wooden Award preseason watch list can include freshmen and transfers, so it's no surprise that -- in the "The Year of the Freshman" -- the list is loaded with first-year players. Nine of the top 50 spots on the list released Tuesday are filled by freshmen, with Kansas and Kentucky accounting for three each. Top recruit Andrew Wiggins, along with teammates Wayne Selden Jr. and Joel Embiid, represent the Jayhawks. Andrew Harrison, Julius Randle and James Young play for the Wildcats. Other freshmen include Arizona's Aaron Gordon, Duke's Jabari Parker and Indiana's Noah Vonleh. -- ESPN.com

Luke Hancock expected to return for Louisville: Louisville is expected to get Luke Hancock back Tuesday night against Hofstra, and Chane Behanan also could make his season debut. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino told ESPN.com that Hancock, who missed the entire preseason and the season opener against Charleston with an Achilles injury, will play against Hofstra. Hancock is a key piece for the third-ranked Cardinals because of his leadership, shooting ability and high basketball IQ. -- ESPN.com

Doug McDermott scores 37 as Creighton pounds UMKC: Following his 37-point effort in Creighton's 96-70 thumping of UMKC, Doug McDermott, the nation's top returning scorer and two-time First Team All-American, said he thought he left a lot on the table. That should scare some future Bluejay opponents. "I missed a lot of shots that I should have made," McDermott said. McDermott hit 15 of 25 and was 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. The 10 3-point attempts were a career-high for McDermott. -- AP

Kenyatta Smith out indefinitely for Harvard: Harvard, coming off the most successful season in its college basketball history, might lose big man Kenyatta Smith for much of its nonconference schedule because of an injury to his left foot, sources said Monday. Crimson coach Tommy Amaker told ESPN.com that Smith is out indefinitely. The 6-foot-8 junior, who sat out Sunday's season opener, started 15 games in 2012-13 and was expected to start for Harvard this season and give the team a low-post presence. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Nov. 11

Pitino: Ware likely 2 weeks away: Louisville's Kevin Ware, just days after returning to the court in an exhibition game, did not play in the season opener on Saturday and may have to wait another two weeks before making his regular-season debut. "He's still limping a little bit," Cardinals coach Rick Pitino said following the team's 70-48 win against College of Charleston. "It's noticeable. When he gets over that, he's going to play. He's probably two weeks away from playing." -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Sun, Nov. 10

Indiana St. unveils Larry Bird statue: Subtle reminders that one of basketball's greatest players once dominated at Indiana State are strewn throughout the Hulman Center. A picture of a young Larry Bird sits in a case with the 1979 NCAA runner-up trophy. The Sycamores went 33-1 that season, losing to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the final.
Nearby are four pictures that show Bird from his days as a college star.
But on Saturday morning, before the Sycamores faced Ball State in the season-opener, university officials unveiled a bronze trophy of Bird, sporting a Sycamores jersey and in mid-jump shot form -- a noticeable reminder of Indiana State's greatest days in basketball. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Nov. 9

Notre Dame sophomore Cam Biedscheid will sit out the 2013-14 season: Notre Dame sophomore Cam Biedscheid will sit out the 2013-14 season to preserve a year of eligibility. Notre Dame coach Mike Brey confirmed the decision after the 21st-ranked Fighting Irish's 74-62, season-opening victory over Miami of Ohio on Friday night. "We've made a decision on the five-year program," Brey said of taking the extra year of eligibility available to all student-athletes. -- AP

Northern Colorado stuns Kansas State in opener: Derrick Barden had 16 points and 17 rebounds as Northern Colorado stunned Kansas State 60-58 in Friday night's season opener. The Bears only went 3-for-8 from the free throw line in the game's last 52 seconds, but an equally sour performance from the Wildcats gave them the edge. Wesley Iwundu had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and D.J. Johnson had 12 points and 9 rebounds for the Wildcats. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Nov. 8

Minnesota center Maurice Walker suspended 6 games: Minnesota center Maurice Walker has been suspended for six games for a violation of university policy. The Golden Gophers made the announcement on Friday, a few hours before they opened the season against Lehigh. The Gophers did not specify which policies were broken. -- AP

Iowa guard Josh Oglesby out six weeks: Iowa junior guard Josh Oglesby will be out six weeks with a broken right foot. Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery said Oglesby broke a bone during practice Wednesday and was set to have surgery Friday. Oglesby is one of Iowa's top perimeter shooters even though he struggled last season. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Thu, Nov. 7

Memphis forward David Pellom to miss five weeks: Memphis forward David Pellom is expected to miss five weeks after undergoing surgery on his left knee. Coach Josh Pastner said in a release that Pellom underwent arthroscopic debridement surgery Thursday. Pastner called it "a simple and minor procedure." -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Wed, Nov. 6

Dominic Artis, Ben Carter suspended: Guard Dominic Artis and forward Ben Carter have been suspended by the No. 19 Oregon Ducks for violating NCAA rules against selling team-issued apparel. The length of the suspensions has not been determined. Artis and Carter did not accompany the team on its trip to South Korea for the Ducks' opener against Georgetown on Friday. In a statement released Tuesday evening, Oregon did not provide details about what the players sold. Both must donate the value of the apparel to charity. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Nov. 4

Marcus Smart only unanimous pick on All-America team: A lot of people were shocked when Marcus Smart announced he would return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore season. Nobody should be surprised that the Cowboys point guard was a unanimous selection to The Associated Press' preseason All-America team. Smart was on every ballot from the 65-member national media panel Monday, a no-brainer because he was expected to be among the first players chosen if he had declared for the NBA draft. The last unanimous preseason All-American was Ohio State's Jared Sullinger in 2011-12... Smart was joined on the first team by seniors Doug McDermott of Creighton and Russ Smith of Louisville, sophomore Mitch McGary of Michigan and freshman Andrew Wiggins of Kansas. -- AP

Va. Tech suspends C.J. Barksdale: Virginia Tech has suspended forward C.J. Barksdale the first three games of the season for a violation of team rules. Coach James Johnson said Monday that Barksdale "made a bad decision" but still fits prominently into the Hokies' plans. Johnson did not release any details about Barksdale's actions. -- AP

Kevin Olekaibe gets NCAA clearance for UNLV: Kevin Olekaibe was granted a hardship waiver Monday and will be able to play immediately for his hometown UNLV Rebels, sources said. Olekaibe, a senior guard who led Fresno State in scoring two seasons ago, applied for a hardship waiver with his father gravely ill. He has been awaiting word since September as his father remains in hospice unable to speak or move his lower body. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Sun, Nov. 3

Kevin Ware to dress vs. Charleston on Saturday: Louisville's Kevin Ware participated in his first full-contact practice on Sunday and could play in the Cardinals' season opener on Saturday. Louisville coach Rick Pitino told ESPN.com following the practice that Ware looked "very good" and "had no hesitation." Pitino said Ware will be in uniform for the team's season opener on Saturday against the College of Charleston, but it's still uncertain whether he'll play. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Nov. 2

Andrew Wiggins likely one-and-done: Kansas better win now because freshman Andrew Wiggins has acknowledged that he'll most likely be heading to the NBA next season. In an interview for ESPN The Magazine's college basketball preview issue, Wiggins was asked what he's enjoyed most since he arrived at Kansas. "I would say just being able to enjoy my last year of school," Wiggins said. The 6-foot-8 wing is widely considered a lock to be the top pick in the 2014 draft if he declares. He was asked his goals for this season. "Win another championship, a national championship," he said. "Follow in Anthony Bennett's footsteps of going No. 1." -- AP/ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Nov. 1

Rhode Island big man Jordan Hare takes leave of absence: Rhode Island sophomore big man Jordan Hare has taken an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons and his future with the program is uncertain. The school announced Hare had taken the leave of absence Friday. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Thu, Oct. 10

Big 12 coaches vote in a tie for Kansas, OSU to win league: A week ago the Big 12 released its preseason player poll, and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart won out over Kansas' Andrew Wiggins. On Thursday, the Big 12 unveiled its preseason coaches poll for league-wide predictions on teams, and Oklahoma State is again at the top -- tied with Kansas. It's the third time since 1996, when the Big 12 became the Big 12, that the preseason team poll has drawn a tie. This is the 12th time Kansas has been chosen to finish atop the league; it's the third instance for OSU. -- CBS Sports

Texas guard Javan Felix out indefinitely after hip surgery: It's been mostly nothing but bad news for Rick Barnes as he enters what could be a make-or-break year at Texas. The Longhorns' head coach saw Myck Kabongo go to the NBA; Sheldon McClellan, Julien Lewis and Jaylen Bond transfer; and Ioannis Papapetrou go pro in Europe. All the attrition has left Barnes with one junior, five sophomores and five freshmen on the 2013-14 roster. Not exactly the recipe needed to compete for the top tier of the Big 12. On Wednesday, the news got worse for Texas. Javan Felix, who saw the second-most minutes on the team last season, underwent hip surgery and is out indefinitely. -- CBS Sports

Florida ‘partially reinstates’ senior guard Scottie Wilbekin: Indefinite suspensions seem to have become more common in recent years, with the designation allowing college coaches to (in theory) evaluate the suspended player over a length of time in order to make sure that a lesson’s been learned. One player in that position this offseason was Florida guard Scottie Wilbekin, who was suspended by head coach Billy Donovan in June for a violation of team rules. -- NBC Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Wed, Oct. 9

Murray State loses Zay Jackson for the season: Murray State announced on Monday that sophomore point guard Zay Jackson will miss this entire season after ripping up his right ACL and his LCL in practice over the weekend. Jackson is infamous for having run over two people with his car in a Walmart parking lot during the summer of 2012. Jackson was suspended all of last season because of the legal matter and served nearly two months in jail for the act. In May, Racers coach Steve Prohm welcomed Jackson back to the team. -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Oct. 7

Stanford Robinson (knee) out for IU: Indiana freshman guard Stanford Robinson will be out indefinitely after injuring his right knee during Friday night's practice at Assembly Hall.
The team issued a statement Saturday saying he is beginning treatment for the undisclosed injury and will undergo daily evaluation. He did participate in the team activities before Saturday afternoon's football game, and the statement said he was dressed at Saturday's practice. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Oct. 5

Louisville hosts first scrimmage: Louisville doesn't buy into midnight madness. Confusion created by its defense is another matter, and Saturday's first Red-White scrimmage featured flashes of the trademark pressure that helped win last season's NCAA championship. However, that aspect took a back seat to impressive offense before 8,280 at the KFC Yum! Center as both squads shot at least 46 percent. Not bad considering Cardinals coach Rick Pitino must replace starting point guard Peyton Siva and center Gorgui Dieng from a 35-5 title team while introducing six freshmen and a transfer to his high-energy playing style. Not surprisingly, senior guard and leading scorer Russ Smith set the tone for a strong returning nucleus and the newcomers with 24 points and eight assists in the first of three public scrimmages over consecutive Saturdays. -- AP

Spartans' Gary Harris improving: Michigan State sophomore Gary Harris expects to be cleared to practice full-contact next week after missing the last five weeks with an ankle injury. "If there were a game right now, I would play," Harris told ESPN.com after limited participation in practice. "I'm probably about 75 percent." "In another week, I'll be full-go." Harris suffered the ankle injury when he came down awkwardly on his right foot while attempting to block a shot on Aug. 30. -- ESPN.com

Utah's Larry Krystkowiak fights crime: If Larry Krystkowiak has as much success this season as he did this past week fighting crime on Utah's campus, the Utes might finally turn into a winner. Krystkowiak had his hands in two different crime-stopping incidents on campus within a four-day period -- one stopping an alleged bike thief last Saturday and the other Tuesday, leading a hunt to nab a suspect who had collected thousands of dollars worth of video equipment and gear from the Utah athletic offices. Krystkowiak said Friday night that he was cleared by police to discuss the latest incident. He said the basketball video offices were hit two weeks ago, with equipment and computers stolen. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Oct. 4

Rick Pitino says Kevin Ware has been cleared to practice: The timeline of recovery on Kevin Ware's broken leg has been pretty astounding. Ware broke his leg during Louisville's Elite Eight game against Duke on March 31. It was gruesome, made national news and turned Ware into a sympathetic sports hero in the process. He wasted no time getting back to rehab and using his story to visit and inspire others who faced physical setbacks from injuries of their own. He also attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner. But amid his rise to fame, Ware appeared to be grinding in rehab in an effort to not miss any time. By early June he was back in the gym; at the end of that month, he was able to take jump shots and get lift off his recovering right leg. By September, he was dunking, even amid rumors he was privately suspended from the team over the summer (rumors Louisville coach Rick Pitino denied). -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Thu, Oct. 3

Sendek: Jahii Carson NBA-bound: Jahii Carson's early exit to the NBA has been expected since he first arrived at Arizona State two years ago. The dynamic point guard bypassed a chance at the pros last season before deciding to return to school. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Carson will take the leap after his sophomore season. "I know it will be his last; We know Jahii will end up going to the NBA," Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said during the Sun Devils' media day Thursday. "I've known that for a long time." Carson was one of the most heralded in-state recruits in Arizona State history coming out of nearby Mesa High School and the hype only intensified when he sat out the 2011-12 season due to academic issues. -- AP

Georgetown's Greg Whittington's status unclear: Georgetown coach John Thompson III told ESPN.com that Greg Whittington is ahead of schedule, but he won't decide for months whether the junior forward will be able to return this season from a torn ACL. "I don't know," Thompson said. "We have no idea if he'll be back this year or not. ... No decision has been made." Whittington was slated to be an integral part of the Hoyas this season after averaging 12.1 points and seven rebounds through the first 13 games of last season. He was deemed academically ineligible for the remainder of the season, and tore the ACL in his left knee back in June. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Wed, Oct. 2

Kansas State PG Jevon Thomas ineligible until Dec. 21: Kansas State won't have projected starting point guard Jevon Thomas until mid-December. Wildcats coach Bruce Weber told ESPN.com that the freshman, who is expected to replace Angel Rodriguez (who transferred to Miami) at the point, won't be eligible until Dec. 21 against Gonzaga. "He's very talented," Weber told ESPN.com of Thomas. "But it'll take him a little while to get adjusted once he becomes eligible." -- ESPN.com

Jim Boeheim screed rails against philosophy of paying college players: Boeheim spoke at a New York State Associated Press symposium Wednesday, and was asked about this unceasing issue of compensating the current college athlete. Via Syracuse.com, here's a hearty portion of the rant, which I've trimmed down by about half. "That's really the most idiotic suggestion of all time. ... I think you have to understand something. It's really very clear. This is really clear. ... Our players get a $50,000 education. Some of them use Syracuse to develop their game, get the publicity they need, become a first-round pick and make money from basketball. Some of them like me get the scholarship, get the grades, get their education, get the chance to play basketball and then get to start life without any debt. One point that's crucial here that people don't know. Every one of my kids that has a need-based need gets a full scholarship. If he has need he gets a Pell Grant. They get a $6,000 or $7,000 Pell Grant, plus a scholarship. People say that they should be getting compensated because there's 30,000 people in the Dome. That money all goes to pay for basketball, pays for field hockey, pays for volleyball, pays for soccer. We make no money at Syracuse University in the athletic department. Zero. We're lucky if we break even at the end of the year. The only reason we break even is because we're subsidized in some way for scholarships and we use fund raisers. Our basketball program might make 12 or 14 million (dollars) but it all goes to pay for the other sports. -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Sept. 30

Eli Carter cleared to play at Florida: Rutgers transfer Eli Carter has been cleared by the NCAA to play this season at Florida, it was announced Monday. Carter is the latest player to receive a waiver from the NCAA after transferring out of Rutgers following the departure of coach Mike Rice -- who verbally and physically abused players at the school. -- ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Sept. 28

Arizona assistant Emanuel Richardson takes leave: Arizona assistant coach Emanuel Richardson is taking an undisclosed amount of time away from the program for health reasons. Richardson said in a statement released by the school Friday that it was not a life or death situation but it was important enough for him to take time away from the university. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Sept. 27

Clemson's Patrick Rooks out for year: Clemson Tigers freshman guard Patrick Rooks will miss the upcoming basketball season after injuring his hip during preseason workouts. Tigers coach Brad Brownell announced Rooks' status Friday. Clemson is opening basketball practice on Sunday. Rooks, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard from Charlotte, N.C., played for the Tigers on their trip to Italy last month. Brownell says Rooks will need surgery and the recovery time will keep him from playing this season. -- AP

College Basketball Roundup: Thu, Sept. 26

Angel Delgado rapidly climbs rankings: It was little more than a year ago that Angel Delgado left his native Dominican Republic to pursue a dream of playing college basketball. He arrived as a virtual unknown who barely spoke any English and was enrolled at a school, Redemption Christian Academy, that was transitioning from one campus in Troy, N.Y., to another in Northfield, Mass. In the 12 months since, the rate with which Delgado has emerged has surprised even his biggest supporters. He's climbed national rankings as fast as any prospect in 2014, moving all the way up to No. 45 in the ESPN 100. He's given Seton Hall an absolutely critical verbal commitment, while establishing himself as arguably the pre-eminent rebounder in all of high school basketball. -- ESPN RecruitingNation

College Basketball Roundup: Wed, Sept. 25

North Carolina says P.J. Hairston's status hasn't changed: North Carolina said Monday that P.J. Hairston's status hasn't changed. That means he's still suspended. But the school also must make clear if he can practice or play in anything competitive. Practice starts Friday. This shouldn't take long. Either he is practicing Friday and beyond or he is not. The length of any discipline is up to North Carolina. No one should tell them how long or if he should be suspended. But the fan base and those who contribute to the program should know his status. That is of the public domain. Once that is known, then Hairston and the Tar Heels can move forward with the season. - ESPN.com

Gregg Marshall now making $1.6 million thanks to Final Four run: It took a few months, but reaching a Final Four finally paid off for Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. The Shockers' Poobah will receive a base salary of $1.6 million beginning on Nov. 9, the school announced. That salary will increase to $1.75 million next April, and Marshall has a seven-year rolling contract set in place, which means the deal extends at the end of every season. He and the school are inked through 2020 now. Previously, Marshall was bringing in $1.03 million per season. “We believe this commitment to Coach Marshall through this salary increase for his continued success both through building great young men and his continued commitment to Wichita State that culminated in the Shockers' 2013 Final Four appearance deserves this type of well earned compensation," WSU AD Eric Sexton said in a statement. “This amendment clearly recognizes Coach Marshall as one of the country's elite coaches, and that Wichita State will continue to belong under his leadership.” - CBS Sports

Akron's Keith Dambrot receives one-year contract extension: On the surface, a one-year contract extension is nothing too great – but in Keith Dambrot's case, it makes a ton of sense. The Akron head coach signed a 10-year contract last summer, and after a 26-win campaign this past season, the school decided to keep his contract at an even 10 years. “There's few coaches lucky enough to have the opportunity to coach at university they played for, where their mother was a professor and where their children attend school,” Dambrot said in a statement. - CBS Sports

UConn honors Jim Calhoun with a night of tributes and street bearing his name: More than 600 came to Grampel Pavilion on Sunday night to pay tribute to former UConn men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun, who retired last year after 26 years at the school and a life spent in the sport. At the end of the night, UConn announced the street outside the arena, Stadium Drive, has been renamed Jim Calhoun Way. Calhoun won three national titles for the school. "A long, long time ago," The Hartford Courant quoted Calhoun. "I said I wanted to get into coaching to hopefully affect some people's lives. I know they affected mine. … Seeing all these guys is incredibly emotional for me. You look at them and say, 'There's that kid who walked in here as a 17-year-old, and look where he is now." - Yahoo Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Sept. 23

Georgia Tech guard Chris Bolden suspended 3 games: Georgia Tech guard Chris Bolden has been suspended for the first three games of the season for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Coach Brian Gregory announced Friday that Bolden, a sophomore, will miss three games, including the Nov. 8 opener against Presbyterian. Also included in the suspension is a game at Georgia on Nov. 15 and an exhibition game before the season. -- AP

Heart concerns end freshman D.J. Bowles' career at Wichita State: D.J. Bowles' basketball-playing career could already be over, months before he ever got a chance to play his first college game. The Wichita State freshman collapsed during a team workout on Sept. 3. He endured five days of tests in a local hospital following the scare. After that, he was flown to Rochester, Minn., to the famous Mayo Clinic for further evaluation and eventually had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator installed on Sept. 12. To this day the exact source for Bowles' collapse is unknown. -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Sept. 20

D.J. Bowles won't play at Wichita St.: Wichita State's medical staff denied medical clearance to freshman D.J. Bowles after he had a defibrillator implanted, but the school will honor his four-year scholarship, it announced Friday night. The decision was made by the WSU-ICAA medical staff because of Bowles' heart condition. Bowles collapsed 3 minutes, 30 seconds into a Sept. 3 practice at Wichita State. Trainer Todd Fagan and the athletic staff used an automated external defibrillator to save Bowles' life before emergency medical personnel arrived and he was rushed to a local hospital. What exactly caused Bowles to collapse is unknown, which led to Wichita State's decision, according to a source with direct knowledge. -- ESPN.com

Jim Larranaga joins Miami faculty: Miami coach Jim Larranaga is now a member of the school's faculty. Larranaga, last season's Associated Press men's basketball coach of the year, has been appointed an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences at Miami. Because of his coaching responsibilities, Larranaga will be a guest lecturer at Miami's School of Education and Human Development. - AP

NCAA announces bidding has begun for future Final Fours: How long does it take to decide who gets a Final Four? Well over a year. The NCAA announced Thursday that the bidding process for the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Final Fours has begun. The winners of those four bids will not be announced until November of 2014, though any cities that want in on the festivities have to submit their intention to bid by Oct. 11 -- three weeks away. Official bids, including a budget, hotels/hotel rates and other criteria have to be submitted by Nov. 15. “We're excited to begin what we expect to be a competitive bid process,” Wake Forest athletic director/2014 NCAA tournament selection committee chairman Ron Wellman said in a statement. “Through the years the Final Four has evolved from one of the country's favorite events into one of the world's most popular events, so it's a tremendous opportunity for cities to be the center of the sporting universe.” -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Wed, Sept. 18

Arizona, Duke lead NIT Tip-Off field: Arizona, Duke, Alabama and Rutgers are the top four seeds for the 2013 NIT Season Tip-Off. The first- and second-round doubleheaders will be played Nov. 18 and 19 on the campuses of the top seeds with the winners advancing to the semifinals at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Nov. 27. The championship game is Nov. 29. - AP

Pitt again thinks outside the arena when it comes to Midnight Madness: Last year, on the 225-year anniversary of the school's founding, Pittsburgh had one of the cooler Midnight Madness soirees when it opted to take its season-opening festivities outdoors. When programs distinguish themselves in how they kick off their season, they'll receive some buzz on Twitter, but also here on the blog, too. I mean, the next team that ACTUALLY holds its Midnight Madness at midnight will get more free pub than just about any team that just rolls out the balls after dinner and has a rote dunk contest to go with a light intra-team scrimmage. Imagine that. But credit Pitt for again doing something outside the lines arena. The Panthers' Midnight Madness proceedings won't be at midnight -- but they will be in the morning. The team will leave the campus, head to downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday, Sept. 28, and combine the opening of practices with the football team's home game against Virginia. It's also Homecoming. -- CBS Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Sun, Sept. 15

Mike Turner (Northwestern) takes personal leave: Northwestern redshirt sophomore forward Mike Turner is taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, the school announced Sunday. Turner, who is from Chicago, played in all 32 games for the Wildcats as a redshirt freshman last season. He started three games and averaged 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds. - ESPN Chicago

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Sept. 13

Richie Farmer faces prison time: Richie Farmer has entered a guilty plea to government corruption charges in a deal with prosecutors. The former University of Kentucky basketball star-turned-politician faces about two years in prison for misdeeds while serving as the state's agriculture commissioner. Appearing Friday morning in U.S. District Court, Farmer apologized for letting down the people of Kentucky. - AP

College Basketball Roundup: Mon, Sept. 9

UConn forward Tyler Olander charged with DUI: Connecticut forward Tyler Olander has been charged with DUI and suspended from the basketball team indefinitely. Connecticut state police say Olander was pulled over Saturday near the Storrs campus and charged with operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating a vehicle in violation of license classification. Police said Olander failed a field sobriety test. No other details were released. UConn spokesman Mike Enright said Monday that Olander was suspended for violating unspecified team rules. - ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Sept. 7

Kevin Ware won't be rushed back: Louisville coach Rick Pitino said Friday that Kevin Ware may not play until the second semester as he recovers from a gruesome compound fracture of his right leg that he suffered in the first half of an Elite Eight victory over Duke in March in Indianapolis. Pitino, who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday in Springfield, Mass., was at the Mohegan Sun Casino for pre-induction festivities. "I don't think Kevin will step on the court early in the season," Pitino told ESPN.com. "He will just start playing basketball in October. He'll start working out. He's almost completely healed, but he hasn't stepped on the court since last March, so it's going to take some time. I'm looking more like it's going to be second semester for him to be 100 percent or close to it." - ESPN.com

College Basketball Roundup: Tue, Sept. 3

Kevin Ware’s status remains uncertain for upcoming season: During a Monday press conference to address his upcoming Hall of Fame speech, Louisville coach Rick Pitino spoke about Kevin Ware’s status regarding his offseason. While there will be no suspension for the Louisville guard best known for his horrific injury during the NCAA Tournament, it is also uncertain when the junior will return to the team. Between rehabbing for the injury and other factors, Ware has an uncertain time frame to return per Jody Demling of Cardinal Authority. -- NBC Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Sun, Sept. 1

Iowa State dismisses Bubu Palo: Iowa State basketball player Bubu Palo, reinstated last January after he served a suspension, has been dismissed from the team. Palo originally was suspended last year after being charged with second-degree sexual assault. That charge was dropped in January of this year and the university's Office of Judicial Affairs cleared him to play, allowing him to return to the team. -- AP

Michigan State's Gary Harris could be out four weeks with severely injured ankle: Michigan State sophomore Gary Harris, rated the top shooting guard in college basketball by Sporting News, injured his ankle severely Friday afternoon and is expected to miss up to four weeks of preseason training, MSU official Matt Larson told SN. Harris, at 6-4, 205 pounds, averaged 12.9 points in his freshman season and possibly could have been a first-round pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He returned to the Spartans for his second season, with the possibility of leading them to an NCAA championship. MSU is SN's No. 2 team in preseason rankings. -- Sporting News

College Basketball Roundup: Sat, Sept. 31

Noah Vonleh adds 25 pounds of muscle in first summer at Indiana: All summer we’ve been hearing about the crop of incoming freshmen and their potential impact on the 2013-14 season. We’ve heard about Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Kentucky’s incoming class since the late spring all-star games and even Florida’s Chris Walker has made recent headlines for his academic snafu. But one name from that hyped class of 2013 top ten appears to be flying under the national radar even though he’s put in a significant amount of work this summer: Indiana freshman Noah Vonleh. Vonleh just turned 18 last Saturday (August 24th) and is one of the younger freshman in the country but Vonleh has added 25 pounds of muscle this summer and gone from 215 pounds to 240 pounds as the Massachusetts native prepares for his first — and maybe only? — season in the physical and rugged Big Ten. -- NBC Sports

Lafayette hopes to enhance homecourt advantage with $1.7 million renovation: Lafayette will get a boost to its homecourt advantage this season thanks to a $1.7 million renovation to the Kirby Sports Center. The renovation includes new LED score tables, HD video scoreboards, chairback seating and new bleachers. But the biggest change in the renovation is the addition of seating along each baseline of the Kirby Sports Center, which now gives Lafayette a true arena feel with seating surrounding the court instead of the old arena’s high school gymnasium feel. -- NBC Sports

College Basketball Roundup: Fri, Sept. 30

Albany extends contract of Will Brown by five years: There's been a flurry of contract extensions for coaches as we culminate the offseason. Most recently, Albany announced Thursday that it had extended Will Brown's deal through 2017-18.
Brown has held his post longer than any coach in the America East. Albany won the conference last season and went to the NCAA tourney, where it lost to Duke by 12 in the Round of 64. Brown has three NCAA tournaments on his resume, the most famous being the 2006 appearance that saw the Great Danes lead No. 1 overall seed UConn in the second half of their first round game. Few 1 vs. 16 games have ever been as compelling as that one. -- CBS Sports